San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-12-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(frcm Our Regular Correspon dent. }

} (Frcm Our Regular Correspon dent.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1887.
Congress, although in session two
weeks, has as yet accomplished very
little work, mainly for the reason
that Speaker Carlisle, owing to The
unusual pressure brought to beai
upon him for choice committee places
has been obliged to defer the appoint
ment of his committees until after
tho holiday recess, which will be from
Dec. % till Jan. 4. The only really
important comittee thus far organized
is that on Elections, which, for reasons
personal to himself, Mr.. Carlisle re-
quested the House to appoint-one
of its duties being to decide the issue
between Carlisle and Thebe. APP
parently there is no good cause for a
contest, still as one has been instituted
by the misguided labor reformer, SO
called, it must be disposed of accord
ing to the forms of law. There can
be little doubt of the validity of the
Kentucky statesman's claim to his
seat.
1t is already evident that much OF
the time of Congress during the pres
ent session will be uselessly consumed
in the discussion of purely political
questions; but on the eve of what is
destined to be one of the most excit-
ing and closely contested Presidential
campaigns in the country's history,
this is, perhaps, unavoidable. The
first political TRADE of the session
was delivered, without the slightest
provocation, in the House by the Re
publican leader, Mr.. Reed, of Maine,
being a rather feeble and fatulent
arraignment of the Democracy on the
tariff question. However, a few ring
ing sentences from Messrs Cox, and
Hatch sufficed to effectually silence
the batteries of the burly Boanerges
of the Republican party.
In the Senate that notorious cham
pion of fraud and vote-stealer, Bill
Chandler, has presented an indict-
ment against four sovereign States
South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi
and Louisiana-proposing to regulate
their Congressional elections, through
the medium of Federal intervention.
Chambers idea of regulating elections
was exempliied by the Republican
rape of the electoral votes of three OF
these same States in the canvass of
1876.77, and "Bill" realizes that the
support of these commodities is
necessary for Republican success
next year. But Chandler will get
nothing but little cheap political
capital out of his partisan resolution.
Probably the Senate bill that will
excite the most interest and discus,
sion is that of Senator CuHom, provi-
ding for the United States Postal
Telegraph appropriating four million
dollars for that purpose and desig-
mating a number Of the principal
cities of the country to be connected
by the proposed lines, the bill also
provides for the appointment and
regulation of the employees of the
Postal Telegr aph.
During the early days of the SEES
sion, while there is little business to
demand their attention, many of the
gay and festive Congress men, who
have doubtless forgotten their mar
ital vows, are Welding their devotion
to the charms of the giddy fair ones
of the Capital In the Patent Off ce
few days since salacious scandal
came to light-the principals being a
Congressman from Kentucky, and a
petite blonde beauty of the office. A
model attendant discovered them in a
compromising position-hence the
public expose. The fair clerk is a
protege of her admirer, he having
secured her a place last winter.
Pending investigation of the case. the
bewitching blonde is suspended from
duty. This is mentioned as CON-
mon phase of Congressional life.
The indications are that there is
some opposition to the confirmation
of Mr.. Lamar's nomination, but not
enough to defeat it. 1t is hardly
probable that the matter will be ia
ken up until after the holiday recess;
then the three most important nomi-
nations will be acted upon in their
regular order-Lamar, Villas and
Dickinson.
The recent reception in this city of
two distinguished Irish members of
the British Parliament, war an i'm
pressive demonstration of American
national sympathy for the sufforings
of ireland, and fitting expression was
given to this feeling by the eloquent
utterances of several prominent Con-